


Best of Intentions

by Yakkorat



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Anthropomorphized Black Pearl, M/M, Missing Scene, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-11-10
Updated: 2006-11-10
Packaged: 2017-12-25 02:38:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/947609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yakkorat/pseuds/Yakkorat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"And if you should get captured, tell him Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt.  Might just save your life."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best of Intentions

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted November 10, 2006
> 
>  **Beta:** I couldn't do it without [](http://fleurdiabolique.livejournal.com/profile)[**fleurdiabolique**](http://fleurdiabolique.livejournal.com/)  
>  **Special thanks** to [](http://metalkatt.livejournal.com/profile)[**metalkatt**](http://metalkatt.livejournal.com/) , [](http://klutzy34.livejournal.com/profile)[**klutzy34**](http://klutzy34.livejournal.com/) , and [](http://narnia06.livejournal.com/profile)[**narnia06**](http://narnia06.livejournal.com/). I appreciate all the support. Big time.  
>  **Inspired by** "[Survival](http://community.livejournal.com/pirategasm/1511949.html#cutid1)" by [](http://pirate-moses.livejournal.com/profile)[**pirate_moses**](http://pirate-moses.livejournal.com/), in which the author has delved into Jack's motivations for certain actions of his. I have my own theories.  
>  **Dedication:** To [Veronica Rich](http://www.livejournal.com/users/veronica_rich), whose work is a constant inspiration.  
> 

** Best of Intentions **

"Lower the lights," Jack said quietly. Gibbs moved to obey, dousing the lanterns one by one as Will pulled at the oars of the longboat, drawing farther from the _Pearl_ with every powerful stroke. Even from across the deck, Gibbs's disapproving stare burned into the back of Jack's neck. Bugger it all. Jack ought to know by now not to try to save everybody. He was a _pirate_ , for goodness' sake. It ought to be every man for himself and to hell with the rest.

 _That's not who you are, Jack._ Though he'd had his beloved _Pearl_ back for months it still amazed him how much he had missed her voice. _It never has been._

 _It might as well be for all the grief the other way gets me,_ he thought, aware that she would hear. _You know, as convoluted as my strategies are, if people would stop bloody well *interfering* with them and let my schemes play out to their logical conclusions, everyone would still be *breathing* at the end, now wouldn't they? Everyone would still be *intact,* with as little damage done as possible._

_I know you, darling. It's the others who don't. Courage. This will be over soon._

_I know._

_This was decided a week ago._

_And I hated it then._

_Jones' attention will be diverted. You'll have time to-_

_I *know.*_

The wooden planks beneath his feet creaked, as if she was heaving a great sigh. _This was *your* plan, Jack._

He laid his hand on her rail, stroking the grain softly. _I'm well aware of that, love. And I know why it's necessary, I just� I didn't expect it to---_

_Be so difficult?_

_Bloody well, *yes.*_

_Imagine the alternative. He was going to get caught in the middle of this, no matter how you tried to shield him._

_Boy doesn't have the common sense God gave a flounder._

_Precisely. Now envision, if you can, Will Turner choosing to live a hundred years as a slave rather than die with his honor and dignity intact._

Jack shook his head softly, squinting in the darkness as Will pulled father from the _Pearl_. He sighed. _It'd never happen._

_No, it wouldn't. And you can't find the chest if you're enslaved to the Dutchman. You have to buy time._

He thought of Jones' one slime-covered hand on Will's olive skin and grit his teeth against a shudder. _What if time is too expensive?_

_Bill will look after him._

_I know._

_You're saving his life, Jack._

It would give him time to find the damned chest and get the heart, and once he had that, he could order Jones to let Will free. Will and old Bootstrap both. It was the right thing to do. It didn't mean he had to like it.

The mist off the water choked him. With fingers curled around the spyglass so tightly his knuckles hurt, barely breathing at all, Jack watched Will approach the wreckage. Where the hell was Jones? The bait was right there, wriggling like a worm on a hook. He didn't even need to call his big nasty beastie; the ship was already destroyed. What was taking the bastard so long? Will pulled the longboat closer and Jack swallowed against a desire to run from the deck. This was the way it had to be, but Christ, he couldn't bear to watch. He stood, lips pressed flat between his teeth, half of him screaming inside, wanting to shout to Will to turn back, wanting to dive into the icy waves to reach him, to drag him away from that ship of death, but he couldn't. Ruthlessly he held himself still, though his whole body trembled with the effort.

And then Will was climbing aboard, and it was too late to do anything. The die was cast. Jack had made his choice.

_You'll have him back, love._

Jack set his jaw and lifted the spyglass to his eye. _I will._ He wasn't a man who made promises, but this was one oath he would not forswear. Jack would bring Will home if it was the last thing he did.

FIN


End file.
